Niger and Chadian soldiers drove Boko Haram from one of their major hideouts they have occupied since late last year in a northern Nigeria border town, Chad’s officials said.
The operation was conducted amid Nigeria’s presidential vote that commensed Saturday that saw to the election of a former military dictator as its new president amid anger over the Islamic insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives.
Over the past few days, troops from Niger and Chad who are part of the force helping Nigeria to root out the insurgents have waged successful attacks on the radical muslims, killing dozens of militants and destroying several of their vehicles and mortars. They have also been able to root them out of their most trusted hideouts.
The town of Malam Fatori, which was seized by Boko Haram in November, had been the scene of fighting between coalition forces and the militants, and military sources falsely claimed to have retaken it in January.
Analysts say Boko Haram fighters are likely to revert to a campaign of hit-and-run attacks now they have been driven from the main towns they once controlled.
The attacks are responsible for Nigeria’s delaying the presidential vote that would have been done early February.
